“At some point in life the world’s beauty becomes enough.” -Toni Morrison
After being a Naturopathic Doctor for over 26 years and an herbalist for 30 years in a diverse community, I have been blessed to have an excellent opportunity to see allopathic and alternative systems and their effects on health.
Although alternative health care is my personal favorite there’s a place for allopathic medicine especially when it comes to diagnosis and emergency medicine. There is an intrinsic place for all the other forms of healing like, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine, Islamic Medicine, Shamanic Medicine plus countless others.
“Let the clean air blow the cobwebs from your body. Air is medicine” –Lillian Russell
Herbalism is my first love because it is where I started my journey with natural medicine and gave me the biggest results with my children when they were young. For preventative medicine herbs are uniquely extraordinary because they build and strengthen the body’s natural immunity and defense systems.
Herbs nourish the body on the cellular level and our body recognizes and utilizes them very efficiently. Over an extended period of time herbs can strengthen the immune system when its under attack from viruses and bacteria. Herbs are excellent adaptogens to increase the bodies ability to change to the environment and chronic stress.
Non-emergencies like simple cuts and scrapes and colds respond well with herbs. For serious illness herbs have an excellent secondary therapy to support the body through sometimes very radical forms of treatments. Herbs and allopathic medicine work well together to complement and enhance the each others effect. When looking at womens health problems, herbs can carry women from pms through childbearing years, pre-menopause, menopause and postmenopausal systems.Herbs provide a deep source of nourishment and vitality for the female organs.
“Ounce for ounce, herbs and spices have more antioxidants than any other food group”. -Michael Greger
Herbs come to mind this time of year because herbs are a great way to aid the body in transition from winter to summer is with the use of herbs in the form of tonics. Tonics invigorate the body increase physical and mental tone and strength. Tonics have been used for several thousand years by many nations.
“Keep close to Nature’s heart”– John Muir
Let’s start with Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
The part of the flower that is used for medicinal purposes are the dried leaves harvested before the flowering season, the dried root collected in autumn, the dried aerial parts with the rhizome harvested before the flowering season, and the whole fresh plant. Dandelion is a rich source of vitamin A and C, iron, calcium, potassium and trace minerals.
It can be used for complaints for having indigestion or depression, skin conditions, joint issues, female issues.
To make tea: Use 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls finely cut herb with 1 cup rapidly boiled alkaline water; strain after 15 minutes and drink warm, honey and vinegar dressing overnight almost completely rids them of bitterness.
You can add dandelion greens to your salad. Marinating the steamed dandelion greens in an olive oil
Storage
The herb should be protected from light and moisture.
“We need to wake up and fall in love with the earth. Our personal and collective happiness and survival depends on it.” -Thich Nhat Hanh
Ginger
( Zingiber officinale)
Ginger is a warming herb that promotes circulation through the entire body. It has antispasmodic properties that relax the smooth muscles. It is also an excellent digestive aid is very useful for morning and motion sickness. A very pleasant way to enjoy ginger is to eat ginger candy. Hot ginger tea with honey and lemon offers a delicious way to treat colds and poor circulation. There is some concerns for using ginger during pregnancy because it may stimulate contractions. Several cultures including Islamic culture would disagree with this because they have used ginger during pregnancy without problems..
Preparation
To prepare an infusion, pour boiling water enough to cover ½ tsp to 1 tsp of the herb and strain after 5 minutes.
Ginger comes in Teas, Supplements, Powders etc
Storage:
Ginger root should be stored in a cool, dry place protected from light.
“When in doubt use Nettles”–David Hoffman
Nettle
(Urtica dioica)
Nettles can be found all across North America. Its proper habitat is in sunny places where there is rich, moist soil. Stinging nettles can be found in United States, Canada,Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.
The part of the plant that is used in medicine is the nettle leaves.
Nettle extract is used to treat arthritis, has been shown to decrease levels of pro-inflammatory compounds such as interleukin-6 and. C-reactive protein. Lower blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Nettles are used in diabetics to combat high blood sugar and cardiovascular risk factors.
How to store it
To store your dried stinging nettle, keep the leaves and stems in big pieces to retain as much flavor and essential oils as possible.
Working with herbs is one of the steps toward discovering that place of wisdom and reclaiming tradition.—Rosemary Gladstar
Herbs take us back to the earth and they offer a system of health that is gentle and in tune with our core self. To learn herbalism takes a certain commitment but it is a wonderful process that often leads you into the fields and gardens of your friends and neighbors.
Resurgence in herbalism is at the heart of getting to know your neighbors and your community. Herbs gets you talking and researching with people to find what grows in your local area. You can find out who’s already growing what herbs and maybe you can get a cutting of an herb and some free advice. You can find out how to get bees in your neighborhood to pollinate your herbs which sparks more conversation.
If you have questions about specific herbs or would like to see us write about a specific herb send us an email to team@lookbetterandfeelbetter.com
References:
Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss
Healthy Healing by Dr. Linda Page PhD., ND
Herbal Healing for Woman by Rosemary Gladstar
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